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How Internet Users Find, Evaluate, and Use Online Health Information: A Cross-Cultural Review
Abstract
The Internet has become a favored source to find health information. Worldwide, about 4.5% of all Internet searches are for health-related information. However, research has found that the quality of online health information is mixed, which raises serious concerns about the impact of this information. This paper reviews relevant research to understand how health information on the Internet is retrieved, evaluated, and used. Most users of online health information are looking for information about specific health conditions because they or someone they know was diagnosed with a medical condition. They typically use general search engines to find online health information and enter short phrases, often misspelled. They seldom go beyond the first page of a search. Both their search and evaluation skills are limited although they are concerned about the quality of online health information. They avoid sites with overt commercialism, but often do not pay attention to indicators of credibility. Online health information is used to fill an information void which can enhance coping and self efficacy, affects health-related decisions and behavior of users and their friends and family, and is often discussed with health care providers. There are cross-cultural differences in the types of sites used as well as how online information is used. Based on the research reviewed in this paper, three major recommendations are suggested. Professionals should recommend sites. Professionals should promote more effective search and evaluation techniques. Professionals should be involved in developing and promoting uniform standards for health and mental health sites.
... Although it is a common chronic disease, awareness and level of knowledge about lipedema is low among clinicians and the public. 4,5 Lipedema is commonly misdiagnosed as obesity or lymphedema and a great proportion of the patients cannot get adequate diagnosis and treatment. ...
... [2][3][4] Nonsurgical methods such as manual lymphatic drainage, intermittent pneumatic compression, compression stockings, exercise, skin care, and diet were also used in the literature, 1-3 but a paradigm shift and a new consensus on diagnosis and treatment of lipedema has recently been published indicating the importance of understanding the needs of patients, and individualized multidisciplinary treatment approaches. 4 The internet is the most popular source of health-related information as it provides immediate, easily accessible, updated, and interactive information. 5,6 Especially individuals with chronic health problems are increasingly browsing the internet to seek information or to manage their conditions. 7,8 YouTube, a well-known online video-sharing platform, is one of the world's most popular internet site that provides information on several health conditions including lipedema. ...
... The rationale for reviewing the first 50 videos was that, majority of the online health information seekers are reported not to scan more than the first 2 pages of citations. 5,11 YouTube has a novel design called as ''infinite scroll,'' in other words, the server continuously adds new videos at the bottom of the page as the user scrolls. In the older design of YouTube, one page included 20 videos therefore 50 videos occupied 2.5 pages. ...
Background/Aim: YouTube provides information on several health-conditions including lipedema. The aim of this study was to investigate the properties, quality, and quantity of YouTube videos on lipedema. Methods: We explored YouTube using the key word lipedema and the initial top 50 videos were included to review. The properties comprising informers, target, and domains of videos covering number of views, likes, dislikes, duration, viewing rate (VR), and video power index (VPI) were recorded. A modified DISCERN tool and global quality scale (GQS) were used to assess the reliability and quality of videos, respectively. Results: The top 50 videos had a mean of 35,805 views, 282 likes, 12 dislikes, and 30 comments. The mean VPI (96.4) and VR (63.8%) were high. The videos were generally uploaded by health professionals for patient/public and health professional targets with the same ratio (50%). The majority of video contents was related to general information (68%) followed by surgical treatment (62%). Only a small ratio of their content (22%) was about nonsurgical management. The reliability and quality of the videos were intermediate to low. The median DISCERN and GQS scores were higher in the videos uploaded by health professional group compared with nonhealth professionals, but the number of views, VPI, and VR were similar between the groups with regard to the source. Conclusion: YouTube videos on lipedema are mostly provided by health professionals targeting both public/patients and health care providers but the content is limited and the quality and reliability of them were low to intermediate. Therefore, the lipedema specialists are suggested to work together to create up-to-date, high-quality, accessible online educational content to meet the needs of both patients/public and the health professionals. In addition, control mechanisms and careful peer reviewing of the videos informed by nonhealth professionals are warranted to avoid misleading information.
... Despite rare evidence of a positive effect of advertising on the perceived credibility of content on websites (Fogg et al., 2003), most studies indicate the opposite tendency. Signs of commerce have emerged as primary factors in the rejection of websites by individuals seeking health information (Morahan-Martin, 2004;Sbaffi & Rowley, 2017). A decline in the perceived credibility and objectivity of health information was also evident in the study by Chang et al. (2021). ...
... These results are consistent with the PCMC model, which posits a relationship between cognitive engagement levels and cues of commerciality (Buijzen et al., 2010). Notably, heuristic cues, indicative of commerciality tend to undermine the credibility of the content, as suggested by prior research (Morahan-Martin, 2004;Sbaffi & Rowley, 2017). ...
Introduction
The assessment of online health‐related information presents a significant challenge for today's youth. Using the Processing of Commercial Media Content (PCMC) model, we investigated the impact of advertising on the perceived credibility of informational content concerning fitness (in boys) and dietary supplements (in girls).
Methods
In a survey‐based preregistered experiment, 681 Czech adolescents (aged 13–18, 52% girls) were randomly assigned to three groups and exposed to websites with a banner ad, a native ad, or simple informational text without an ad.
Results
The presence of ads on websites diminishes the perceived credibility of informational content. While we did not observe the difference between banner and native advertising, we found one gender‐specific difference. Specifically, boys perceive informational content linked with native ads as more credible compared to girls. Additionally, no difference was found between younger and older adolescents. Adolescents demonstrated success in identifying both types of advertisements, irrespective of their age.
Conclusions
The findings are discussed in light of individual differences and various approaches to processing online content. It appears that adolescents are accustomed to native advertising, which seamlessly integrates with traditional banner ads. Moreover, it is plausible that boys assess advertising texts more heuristically and less systematically than girls. Contrary to PCMC expectations, even younger adolescents seem to possess sufficient skills to identify the advertisements.
... Orthopedic surgery, which has a wide range of patients from the neonatal period to the geriatric period, has been affected by these developments. Prior research has documented the frequency of internet and social media utilization among orthopedic patients (6)(7)(8) . Of the visual materials used to create content on social media, videos in particular are more engaging in terms of reaching communities with relevant information and interactivity. ...
... This large volume of data may suggest that the accuracy and quality of the content could be questionable. For this reason, there are many studies examining the accuracy of information sharing, diversity of content and reliability of sources by evaluating the content available on social media platforms (6)(7)(8) . However, it can be considered that the content uploader or the content itself is as important as the search algorithms that form the ranking order of how the posts are displayed to the user. ...
... Videos were excluded from the study if they met any of the following criteria: a) lacking sound, b) not being in English, c) containing off-topic content, or d) being duplicates. The decision to include 200 videos in the study was based on the common user behavior of reviewing videos up to the first 10 pages [13]. Information extracted from the website included details such as the uploader (government body, nonprofit association, physician, private health institution), upload date, number of views, comments, likes, and video duration. ...
... There is a possibility that the videos encountered may not be the same in searches conducted on different dates or in other countries. We included the first 200 videos in the study, corresponding to 10 pages on the YouTube site, as it has been demonstrated that users typically do not venture beyond the initial few pages when seeking information online [13]. The data we could gather from YouTube is restricted to what is accessible on the page. ...
Aim: End-stage renal disease (ESRD) presents significant challenges for patients and healthcare systems. Treatment options include renal transplant, peritoneal dialysis, and hemodialysis, with hemodialysis being the most common, necessitating suitable vascular access like arteriovenous fistula (AVF), graft, or catheter. This study aims to analyze the quality of YouTube videos on vascular access for hemodialysis, using the 2018 Clinical Practice Guidelines of the European Society for Vascular Surgery (ESVS) as a benchmark and employing JAMA, Global Quality, and DISCERN scores. To our knowledge, this is the first study evaluating YouTube content quality on this topic. Material and Methods: A YouTube search for 'arteriovenous fistula' was conducted, analyzing the first 200 videos based on predetermined criteria. Exclusions included videos lacking sound, not in English, off-topic, or duplicates. Data collected included uploader details, upload date, views, comments, likes, and duration. Video accuracy was assessed using the DISCERN tool, JAMA Benchmark Criteria, and Global Quality Scoring System (GQSS). Results: Out of 200 videos, 13 were excluded, leaving 187 for analysis. The interobserver agreement was high (κ=0.967). The videos amassed 12,854,643 views, with a median duration of 5 minutes and a median of 3412 views per video. Most views were for videos with poor DISCERN scores. There was a significant association between DISCERN scores and video characteristics. Videos with higher DISCERN scores had longer durations (p=0.01). However, videos with lower scores received more likes and views (p<0.01). The mean DISCERN score was 33.7, indicating poor quality, with only 18.8% rated as good or excellent. Conclusion: The study underscores the variability in the quality of YouTube content regarding vascular access for hemodialysis. Patients are encouraged to prioritize videos uploaded by healthcare professionals, ensuring both quality and accuracy. Despite limitations, this study contributes to informed decision-making in the context of hemodialysis vascular access.
... Approximately 69% of cancer survivors rely on the internet for health information [22]. There are large amounts of cancer-related information available online with varying levels of readability, suitability, and quality [23,24]. The lack of consistent guidelines and regulation of online health information risks inaccurate or low-quality information being unhelpful or even harmful [23]. ...
... To evaluate online self-management resources for FCR, an online search replicating how cancer survivors might search for FCR information online was conducted. Consumers commonly locate health information by entering short phrases and engaging with websites returned on the first page [24]. As such, combinations of common keywords and layperson phrases were formulated after consultation with the librarian at the Liverpool Hospital (South West Sydney Clinical Campuses). ...
Cancer survivors often rely on the internet for health information, which has varying levels of readability, suitability, and quality. There is a need for high-quality online self-management resources for cancer survivors with fear of cancer recurrence (FCR). This study evaluated the readability, suitability, and quality of publicly available online FCR self-management resources. A Google search using FCR-related keywords identified freely available FCR self-management resources for cancer survivors in English. Resource readability (reading grade level), suitability, and quality were evaluated using relevant assessment tools. Descriptive statistics and cluster analysis identified resources with higher suitability and quality scores. Mean resource (n = 23) readability score was grade 11 (SD = 1.6, Range = 9–14). The mean suitability score was 56.0% (SD = 11.4%, Range = 31.0–76.3%), indicating average suitability and the mean quality score was 53% (SD = 11.7%, Range = 27–80%), indicating fair quality. A cluster of 15 (65%) resources with higher suitability and quality scores was identified. There were no significant associations between suitability or quality scores and the type of organisation that published the resources. Online FCR self-management resources varied in readability, suitability and quality. Resources with higher quality and suitability scores relative to other resources are identified for use by healthcare professionals and cancer survivors. Resources that are more culturally appropriate, with lower reading grade levels and detailed self-management strategies are needed.
... 2 Additionally, many patients turn to the Internet to fill in the gaps in what they learnt from their physician. 3 It has been reported that when seeking information about their health, 70% of adults go to the Internet as their first source. 4 In surveys undertaken in the U.S. population, 70% to 80% of individuals had undertaken a search for health or medical information yearly. ...
... Only the first 3 pages were assessed, as prior data demonstrate that most people seeking health information do not move past the first 3 pages when undertaking a search. 3 Websites were assessed by 2 independent reviewers (M.M. and E.L.) with the instruction to clear cache and search history prior to undertaking each search. Disagreement of website inclusion was resolved by consensus. ...
Background
A diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF) often leads patients to search online for information, which can expose them to information of varied quality.
Objectives
We conducted a qualitative systematic review of websites that contain useful information regarding AF.
Methods
The following terms were searched: (AF for patients), (What is AF), (AF patient information), (AF educational resources), on 3 search engines (Google/Yahoo/Bing). Inclusion criteria included: websites with comprehensive AF information, information about treatment options. The Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT-P/PEMAT-AV) assessed understandability and actionability (score range 0-100). Those with a mean PEMAT-P score of >70, meaning acceptable understandability and actionability, underwent DISCERN score assessment of information content quality and reliability (score range 16-80).
Results
The search yielded 720 websites which underwent full review. After exclusions, 49 underwent full scoring. Mean overall PEMAT-P score was 69.3±17.2. Mean PEMAT-AV score was 63.4±13.6. Of the websites that scored >70% PEMAT-P, 23 (46%) underwent DISCERN scoring. Mean DISCERN score was 54.7±4.6.
Conclusion
There is a wide variation in the understandably, actionability and quality of websites, many not providing patient level materials. Knowledge of quality websites could provide an important adjunct for improving patients understanding of AF.
... Our search was limited to the first 20 videos per keyword search. At the time of data collection, YouTube displayed 20 search results per page, and internet users seldom go beyond the first page of search results to find health information [12]. ...
... As a cross-sectional study that reviewed only a fraction of available videos on YouTube, greater sensitivity may have been obtained if more videos were included. However, since most YouTube users view only the first few available pages [12], the first 20 videos per keyword search and sorting method could provide us with an appropriate sample size that is reflective of the videos most likely to be accessed during a YouTube search A second limitation of our study is that videos are a snapshot in time and are always in flux. Reviewed videos were downloaded on a specific date and time and may not be the most current or relevant when information is sought and requested by patients. ...
Objective
To assess the accuracy and quality of YouTube videos pertaining to early pregnancy loss for use as a patient education tool.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted via YouTube search using the keywords “miscarriage,” “spontaneous abortion,” “pregnancy loss,” and “pregnancy failure.” The first 20 results for each keyword search, sorted by both relevance and view count, were compiled into a list. Descriptive characteristics, including the numbers of views, likes, dislikes, video length, and duration of upload were collected. All videos were independently evaluated by two physician researchers using two unique assessment tools. The Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose (CRAAP) test was used to measure the reliability of video content. The Miscarriage-Specific Question Score (MSQS) criterion was used to objectively assess video content specific to miscarriage. Inter-rater agreement was analyzed via kappa coefficient and Pearson correlation.
Results
160 videos were screened, among which 74 videos were included for analysis. The mean CRAAP score was 8.3 out of a total possible score of 15, demonstrating good quality sources, though not of academic level. Mean MSQS score was 8.1 out of a total possible score of 24, demonstrating “fair” accuracy and comprehensiveness. Pearson correlations were 0.87 and 0.86 for CRAAP and MSQS total scores, respectively, demonstrating excellent inter-rater reliability.
Conclusion
YouTube videos related to early pregnancy loss span a wide range of quality, accuracy, and purpose. While some videos provide effective content, mean rater scores demonstrate that YouTube is not a reliable source for patient education on early pregnancy loss.
... Although the Internet is used heavily to search for medical and mental health information (e.g., Park & Kwon, 2018), some authors argue that the manner of searching is suboptimal (Eysenbach & Kohler, 2004;Hansen et al., 2003;Morahan-Martin, 2004;Rainie & Fox, 2000). On average, health information seekers only take around 6 min to retrieve answers to their questions that they feel confident about, and the number of words used by health information seekers ranged between one to four words (Buhi et al., 2009;Eysenbach & Kohler, 2004;Hansen et al., 2003). ...
... Adapting some components of the AIS methodology, the first aim for this study was to understand information acquisition by examining the search strings used in a search engine when tasked to look for a mental health service provider. Other than information acquisition and decisional processes, the need to study what search strings are utilized is of significance given that the Internet is frequently used to search for health-related information (Rainie & Fox, 2000;Ybarra & Suman, 2006) and that individuals use limited search strategies when searching for health-related information (Morahan-Martin, 2004). For the first aim, the goal was to identify categories of search strings through qualitative content analysis. ...
Based on decision sciences and information processing theories, how information is acquired is the foundation of decisions and choices subsequently made. Adapting the Active Information Search methodology, the aim for this study is to examine what information potential mental health clients look for in a service provider through their use of search strings. College students (N = 519) from a large public university from the southwest USA (data collection from August to December 2018) were asked in an online survey to imagine themselves needing mental health services and list down the search string they would use in a search engine (e.g., Google). Content analysis indicated seven search string categories: location of nearby services, symptoms, types of services/specialty, asking for advice, questions about resources, questions about whether they have a problem, and looking for the “best.” Further, multivariate logistic analysis indicated that gender, psychological distress, perceived normativeness of utilizing mental health services, and type of medical insurance were associated with the type of search string the participant used in searching for mental health services. Understanding how individuals search for mental health services can help guide mental health practitioners in what information should be included in their websites. Further findings and implications are discussed.
... The consequences that may result from inadequately meeting the information needs of patients is that patients may turn online to gain a better understanding of their condition and or treatment options [7,8]. Online health information seeking is estimated to occur in 80 % of all patients [9], and more specifically over one third of adults use social media for health information and social support [7,8]. ...
... The consequences that may result from inadequately meeting the information needs of patients is that patients may turn online to gain a better understanding of their condition and or treatment options [7,8]. Online health information seeking is estimated to occur in 80 % of all patients [9], and more specifically over one third of adults use social media for health information and social support [7,8]. Evidence also shows that 75 % of health decisions made by patients were influenced by information they received through their own research [10]. ...
Background
Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) is a hereditary disorder that has no cure and can result in end stage kidney failure. Searching for health information online and via social media is a common phenomenon in many medical conditions. However, no recent studies have documented the information needs, online behaviours, and concerns of people with PKD. The aim of this study was to explore the information needs of individuals with PKD and their carers by documenting (i) the information needs (ii) online information health seeking behaviours (iii) the perceived challenges of living with PKD and (iv) dietary concerns.
Methods
A 17-item survey was constructed by undertaking a social listening analysis. This survey was then distributed via PKD related social media groups on Facebook. Seven groups distributed the survey with permission from the group owners. Open free text survey questions were analysed thematically using content analysis.
Results
A total of 536 respondents completed the online survey (70.9 % female, 77 % aged 35–70, 70.2 % diagnosed more than 10 years ago). The major information need expressed by participants with PKD was for dietary information. Information regarding medications, medical management and symptom control were also desired. The overarching themes arising from the free text responses to the major challenge of living with PKD included ‘learning to navigate dietary ambiguities’; ‘managing social, psychological and emotional needs’; and ‘accepting an uncertain future’. In addition to a strong desire for practical and specific dietary information, participants expressed a need for more online information pertaining to management of fatigue, pain, complications and how to manage mental health. Online peer support was also highly regarded and desired.
Conclusions
This study provides contemporary insights into the type of information desired by people with PKD. The results indicated that there was a strong desire for unambiguous information and guidance from health professionals to facilitate self-management, alleviate concerns, and address the complexities of living with Polycystic Kidney Disease. While diet is an important and frequently expressed need, there also remains a large demand for information on how to support psychological needs, and on medical management in order to support treatment decision making. Future work is required to develop specific, actionable and evidence-based resources for patients that are available online and through health professionals. Increased access to renal dietitians, peer support and additional training for health professionals could also improve patient-centered care and support self-management.
... Online health and mental health information varies in quality and readability (11), but it has helped people develop better coping mechanisms, self-efficacy, and empowerment. Consumers have reported improved decision-making about healthrelated behaviors, improved connections in the doctor-patient relationship, and lower feelings of worry and isolation (12)(13)(14). The Internet and associated technologies have the potential to function as primary resources or as a supplement to conventional mental health treatment services. ...
Background: Mobile mental health (mHealth) has revolutionized mental health treatment by integrating technology into patient care, emphasizing patient-centered care (PCC). This shift has transformed patients from passive recipients to active participants in managing their health through technology. Telemental health (TMH) and e-mental health (eMH) are key components, leveraging the Internet and mobile technologies for mental health services. Aim: This review article explores modern trends and advancements in mental health treatment in the 21st century, focusing on the role of mobile technologies in enhancing mental health care. Methods: A comprehensive review of literature and current practices related to mHealth and eMH was conducted. The review included analysis of mobile health applications, telepsychiatry models, and emerging technologies in mental health treatment. Results: The article highlights significant advancements in mobile mental health, including the growth of mental health apps, the use of ecological momentary assessment (EMA) for real-time data collection, and the integration of mobile technologies into traditional mental health care. Trends indicate increased usage of mobile applications for mental health support, though challenges remain in app evaluation and integration into clinical practice. Conclusion: Mobile mental health technologies offer promising enhancements to traditional mental health care by providing accessible, flexible, and cost-effective solutions.
... [7] Engin and Songür • Medicine (2024) 103: 32 Medicine Numerous studies are being conducted to examine the quality and dependability of YouTube videos across a range of health-related subjects. [8,9] To the best of our knowledge, no study has yet investigated the quality and reliability of YouTube videos on rehabilitation following traumatic brain injury. In order to address this gap in the existing literature, we designed a study to systematically evaluate the reliability and quality of YouTube videos pertaining to rehabilitation for TBI. ...
Due to the lengthy and challenging nature of traumatic brain injury (TBI) rehabilitation, patients and carers increasingly rely on YouTube for information. However, no previous research has assessed the quality and reliability of these TBI rehabilitation videos on this platform. This study aims to assess the quality and reliability of YouTube videos on TBI rehabilitation. In this cross-sectional study, a YouTube search with the keyword “traumatic brain injury rehabilitation” was performed, and the first 100 videos were listed according to relevancy. After applying exclusion criteria, a total of 72 videos were included in the analysis. DISCERN, Journal of the American Medical Association, and Global Quality Score were used to evaluate the quality and reliability of the videos. Video characteristics, including the number of likes, dislikes, duration, and source of upload, were recorded. The mean DISCERN total score was determined to be 39.56 ± 8.4. Additionally, the mean Journal of the American Medical Association score was 1.93 ± 0.57, the Global Quality Score was 2.6 ± 0.81, and the DISCERN quality score was 2.55 ± 0.79. Analysis showed that videos with a longer duration (P < .001) and those uploaded earlier (P = .002) were more likely to be of higher quality. Videos produced by healthcare professionals had higher DISCERN scores (P = .049) than those uploaded by non-healthcare professionals. Examination of YouTube videos on TBI rehabilitation indicates a moderate overall quality. The study revealed that videos uploaded by healthcare professionals have higher quality. For obtaining reliable information on TBI rehabilitation, it is also advisable to prioritize videos with longer durations and earlier upload dates. Given the significant role of social media platforms in educational outreach for rehabilitation, it is crucial to enhance the quality of these videos through appropriate measures.
... The Internet is a well-established, information channel that can be used to provide discrete and accessible reproductive health information that can mitigate barriers to healthcare access including stigma, resource limitations, childcare and time constraints [29,33,47,67]. Ideally, online reproductive health information is evidence-based, comprehensive, and inclusive [26], however for the lay public, finding credible, evidence-based reproductive health information can be challenging [68], particularly given the explosion of reproductive-related myths and social-media fueled misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic [69]. Governments collect health surveillance data, develop guidelines and population-based recommendations, and serve as a reference sources for health care professionals [70], supporting reproductive health promotion initiatives. ...
Background
Reproductive health promotion can enable early mitigation of behavioral and environmental risk factors associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, while optimizing health of women + (all genders that can gestate a fetus) and babies. Although the biological and social influences of partners on pregnancy are well established, it is unknown whether online Canadian government reproductive health promotion also targets men and partners throughout the reproductive lifespan.
Methods
Reproductive health promotion, designed for the general public, was assessed in a multi-jurisdictional sample of Canadian government (federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal) and select non-governmental organization (NGO) websites. For each website, information related to environmental and behavioral influences on reproductive health (preconception, pregnancy, postpartum) was evaluated based on comprehensiveness, audience-specificity, and scientific quality.
Results
Government and NGO websites provided sparse reproductive health promotion for partners which was generally limited to preconception behavior topics with little coverage of environmental hazard topics. For women + , environmental and behavioral influences on reproductive health were well promoted for pregnancy, with content gaps for preconception and postpartum stages.
Conclusion
Although it is well established that partners influence pregnancy outcomes and fetal/infant health, Canadian government website promotion of partner-specific environmental and behavioral risks was limited. Most websites across jurisdictions promoted behavioral influences on pregnancy, however gaps were apparent in the provision of health information related to environmental hazards. As all reproductive stages, including preconception and postpartum, may be susceptible to environmental and behavioral influences, online health promotion should use a sex- and gender-lens to address biological contributions to embryo, fetal and infant development, as well as contributions of partners to the physical and social environments of the home.
... Users are unlikely to exceed the first five pages of search results; hence, the first 100 videos (20 videos/page, first 5 pages) of each search result were screened. 10 Each video was added to the YouTube library of this study for further review and sharing with other researchers. All adverts in the search results or those in the video's introduction or midway were skipped over. ...
Objective
Immunocompromised individuals, particularly HIV patients, worldwide are at risk from cryptococcal infection. There are a number of videos of cryptococcal infection and more and more individuals may search these videos, but the quality of videos on YouTube is unclear. This study set out to assess the content and quality of YouTube videos regarding cryptococcal infection.
Methods
The keywords “Cryptococcus,” “Cryptococcosis” and “Cryptococcal infection” were searched on YouTube. The videos were evaluated and graded by two impartial raters. A 14-point content score was used to categorize videos as bad, good or exceptional. The reliability and quality were evaluated utilizing the DISCERN instrument and a 5-point global quality score. Videos were then divided into groups based on uploading sources and content types.
Results
A total of 46 videos were located, and the ratings provided by the two raters were identical. Our scoring algorithm determined that 54.3% (n = 25), 32.6% (n = 15) and 13.0% (n = 6) of the videos were poor, decent and exceptional, respectively. Regarding quality, no difference was identified between the various video categories. The global quality scale, number of views, days posted, content score and DISCERN showed a significant positive relationship.
Conclusions
Professional individuals or healthcare organizations should be encouraged to submit high-quality videos for the expanding internet population, as only a small proportion of available videos had exceptional quality.
... Selective focus will also be employed to mitigate the inherent difficulty in ensuring high-quality information from health Websites [36] and to help ensure grey literature will be extracted from reputable sources. In addition, the focus on locating PDFs within selected Websites will help to overcome the challenge of ensuring the completeness and accuracy of information [20,32]. ...
Objective
A scoping review will be undertaken to examine and map the available evidence that has been produced in relation to pain management in Parkinson’s, with a focus on behavioural interventions, resources and/or how professionals support people with Parkinson’s self-management of pain.
Methods
This review will be based on the methodological framework given by Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005), including enhancements by Levac et al., Peters et al. and the Joanna Briggs Institute. We will include studies from PubMed, SCOPUS, CINAHL, MEDLINE Web of Science, APA PsycINFO and ASSIA from January, 2010 onwards. Both quantitative and qualitative data will be analysed separately to identify the characteristics of support for pain management available, orientation of the approach and any identifiable behaviour change components and their outcomes. The COM-B behaviour change model and Theoretical Domains Framework will provide a theoretical framework for synthesising evidence in this review.
Conclusion
This scoping review will help to explore studies focusing on the evidence supporting a range of interventions relating to the management of pain experienced by people living with Parkinson’s. The focus will be on describing what is available to support self-management, identify what behaviour change components have been used and their effectiveness, identify barriers and enablers to pain management and explore gaps in current provision of pain management. This review will identify implications and priorities for the follow-up phases to the larger ‘Pain in Parkinson’s’ Project which is designed to support clinicians and individuals living with Parkinson’s.
... 22 Individuals with Internet access can consult online resources to inform their health decisions. 23 Research groups worldwide are exploring the potential of mobile-based training to promote health and prevent disease. The rapid development of mobile phonebased applications has introduced a new approach to health promotion and disease prevention. ...
Objective
We aimed to evaluate the impact of a mobile-based educational program on patients’ postoperative care for lumbar disk herniation surgery.
Methods
A randomized controlled trial was conducted at Fayaz-Bakhsh Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Patients with lumbar disc herniation surgery experience were randomized to the intervention and control groups (learning with the LUmbar CAring Training-app). Participants’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices of postoperative care for lumbar disc herniation surgery were assessed using a validated questionnaire at three-time points: pre-test (baseline), post-test one (immediately after program completion), and post-test two (8 weeks after program completion). The primary outcome measures were knowledge, attitudes, and practices scores variations. Secondary outcomes were not considered in our study.
Results
In total, 150 patients were enrolled, with 75 patients in each group. Patients in the intervention group demonstrated increased knowledge, modified attitudes, and practice than those in the control group ( p < 0.05). The post-test knowledge, attitudes, and practices scores in the intervention group were significantly higher than those in the control group ( p < 0.05).
Conclusion
Mobile-application-based education was a practical and feasible approach to improve patients’ postoperative care for lumbar disc herniation surgery in Iran.
... A plausible explanation for this could be that academic content is often written for peerreview rather than patient education, possibly affecting its comprehensibility and applicability to a lay audience. [25][26][27] Individual JAMA scores showed a similar trend; just 35% of websites received a point for declaring authorship, 23% earned a score for attribution, and 44% of sites were updated recently. Such lapses could be attributed to the absence of stringent guidelines governing online medical content. ...
Objective
The internet is an increasingly favorable source of information regarding health-related issues. The aim of this study is to apply appropriate evaluation tools to assess the evidence available online about inferior vena cava (IVC) filters with a focus on quality and readability.
Methods
A search was performed during December 2022 using three popular search engines, namely Google, Yahoo, and Bing. Websites were categorized into academic, physician, commercial, and unspecified websites according to their content. Information quality was determined using Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) criteria, the DISCERN scoring tool, and whether a Health On the Net Foundation certification (HONcode) seal was present. Readability was established using the Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES) and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL). Statistical significance was accepted as P < .05.
Results
In total, 110 websites were included in our study. The majority of websites were categorized as commercial (25%), followed by hospital (24%), academic (21%), unspecified (16%), and physician (14%). Average scores for all websites using JAMA and DISCERN were 1.93 ± 1.19 (median, 1.5; range, 0-4) and 45.20 ± 12.58 (median, 45.5; range, 21-75), respectively. The highest JAMA mean score of 3.07 ± 1.16 was allocated to physician websites, and the highest DISCERN mean score of 52.85 ± 12.66 was allocated to hospital websites. The HONcode seal appeared on two of the selected websites. Physician, hospital, and unspecified websites had a significantly higher mean JAMA score than academic and commercial websites (all with P < .001). Hospital websites had a significantly higher mean DISCERN score than academic (P = .007), commercial (P < .001), and unspecified websites (P = .017). Readability evaluation generated a mean FRES score of 51.57 ±12.04, which represented a 10th to 12th grade reading level and a mean FKGL score of 8.20 ± 1.70, which represented an 8th to 10th grade reading level. Only 12 sources were found to meet the ≤6th grade target reading level. No significant correlation was found between overall DISCERN score and overall FRES score.
Conclusions
The study results demonstrate that the quality of online information about IVC filters is suboptimal, and academic and commercial websites, in particular, must enhance their content quality regarding the use of IVC filters. Considering the discontinuation of the HONcode as a standardized quality assessment marker, it is recommended that a similar certification tool be developed and implemented for the accreditation of patient information online.
... [13,14] Despite the need for accessible and accurate information, obtaining easy-to-understand resources can be a struggle. ChatGPT can address this issue by delivering health information conversationally, simplifying complex medical jargon [15,16], potentially leading to better patient understanding. [17] ChatGPT can support healthcare providers by generating responses to routine patient inquiries, potentially saving time for more complex cases. ...
... This strategy could simulate the common browsing habit in most viewers and had been reported feasible in previous literatures. [18,19] Furthermore, duplicate, irrelevant, non-English, audio-only, vision-only video, shorts or video with unacceptable audio/visual quality was excluded in this study. Finally, 108 videos were included for following analysis (Fig. 1). ...
Background
Given a prolonged course of Cervical spondylosis (CS) could cause irreversible neurological deficits, it is crucial to disseminate CS-related health information to the public to promote early diagnosis and treatment. YouTube has been widely used to search for medical information. However, the reliability and quality of videos on YouTube vary greatly. Thus, this study aimed to assess the reliability and educational quality of YouTube videos concerning CS and further explore strategies for optimization of patient education.
Methods
We searched YouTube online library for the keywords “cervical spondylosis”, “cervical radiculopathy” and “cervical myelopathy” on January 15, 2023. Ranked by “relevance”, the first 50 videos of each string were recorded. After exclusions, a total of 108 videos were included. All videos were extracted for characteristics and classified based on different sources or contents. Two raters independently evaluated the videos using Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria, Modified DISCERN (mDISCERN) tool, Global Quality Scale (GQS) and Cervical-Spondylosis-Specific Scale (CSSS), followed by statistical analyses. All continuous data were described as median (interquartile range).
Results
All videos had median values for JAMA, mDISCERN, GQS and CSSS scores of were 3.00 (1.00), 3.00 (2.00), 2.00 (1.00) and 7.00 (8.88), respectively. There were significant differences in VPI (P = 0.009) and JAMA (P = 0.001), mDISCERN (P < 0.001), GQS (P < 0.001) and CSSS (P < 0.001) scores among different sources. Videos from academic source had advantages in reliability and quality scores than other sources. VPI (P < 0.001), mDISCERN (P = 0.001), GQS (P < 0.001) and CSSS (P = 0.001) scores also significantly differed among videos of various contents. Spearman correlation analysis indicated VPI was not correlated with either reliability or quality. Multiple linear regression analysis showed a longer duration and an academic source were independent predictors of higher reliability and quality, while a clinical source also led to the higher video quality.
Conclusions
The reliability and educational quality of current CS-related videos on YouTube are unsatisfactory. Users face a high risk of encountering inaccurate and misleading information when searching for CS on YouTube. Longer duration, source of academic or clinician were closely correlated to higher video reliability and quality. Improving the holistic reliability and quality of online information requires the concerted effort from multiple parties, including uploaders, the platform and viewers.
... It has been shown that before the search, YouTube viewers do not look beyond the first 3-4 pages of search results, and the search filter is often chosen by users as relevant. 14,15 For this reason, the YouTube search filter in our study was selected as "relevant" and a total of 240 videos on the first four pages, with 60 videos on each page, were examined. Videos between 0.30 s and 20 min, voiced in English, were included as inclusion criteria. ...
Background: YouTube is increasingly used by patients and parents as a source of information in the field of health. The aim of the study was to measure the quality and reliability levels of the videos published in English on infantile colic (IC) uploaded on YouTube.
Methods: A YouTube search was achieved by two authors using the key words "infantile colic," "baby", "colic", "children" and "treatment". Along with the general features of the videos, their quality and reliability were evaluated according to the global quality score (GQS), modified DISCERN (mDISCERN) score.
Results: Among the 55 videos included in the study, 25 (55.6%) were high quality, 19 (42.2%) medium quality and 11 (2.2%) low quality. The mDISCERN and GQS scores of the videos in the useful group were higher than those in the misleading group (p < 0.001). Videos uploaded by academic institutes and physicians had higher mDISCERN and GQS scores than other groups (p = 0.045, p = 0.005) and positive correlation detected between mDISCERN and GQS scores (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: IC videos broadcasted on YouTube, whose usage rates are increasing with the COVID-19 pandemic, are a useful data source for patients/parents. Digital video resources provided by academic institutions, universities and healthcare professionals can assist physicians and parents in IC pathophysiology and treatment.
... We searched for combinations of search terms related to valproic acid (i.e., "Valproic Acid", "Valproate", "Depakene" and "Depakote") and pregnancy (i.e., "pregnancy" and "gestation"), according to Mesh (Medical Subject Headings, MeSH). The first 5 pages of each search result were filtered on the assumption that the user would not go beyond the first 5 pages of the search result [26]. We searched using You-Tube's default sorting option, "relevance", which is considered to be probably the most commonly used option in YouTube's sorting algorithm (relevance, upload date, number of views, rating). ...
Background
YouTube™ (http://www.youtube.com), as a very popular video site worldwide, is increasingly being used as a platform to disseminate health information. The purposes of this review were to assess the overall usefulness of the information on the prevention of valproic acid use in women during pregnancy on YouTube™ for patients.
Methods
The YouTube™ website was systematically using 8 keywords. One hundred and fifty four videos meet the selection criteria. The researcher evaluated the video duration, days since upload, views and the likes. These videos are categorized as Education, News & Politics and People & Blogs. We designed a usefulness scoring scheme to assess videos quality and classified them as “slightly useful”, “useful” and “very useful”. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to determine whether differences existed between total usefulness scores and categories and Pearson chi-square test for categorical variables.
Results
The majority of videos were educational (62.8%). The "People & Blogs" and "News & Politics" videos scored significantly higher, but had no significant difference in days since upload, views, views/day or likes. More than half of the videos (91/154) were categorized as “useful”. The mean posted days (p = 0.045) was significantly different in the useful group compared with the slightly useful group. There were no correlation between usefulness and the number of days since upload, duration, views, views/day, or likes.
Conclusion
YouTube™ is a promising source of information regarding the use of valproic acid during pregnancy. "News & Politics" videos are the most usefulness. Considering the presence of more slightly useful information, publishers need to improve more comprehensive video content that includes replacement medications, diagnoses and treatments. In the healthcare information space, consumers need to be directed to reliable video.
... Morahan-Martin (2004) studied how internet users search for online health information. People typically use search engines and enter short (frequently misspelled) phrases, with the authors recommending the promotion of more effective search and evaluation techniques (Morahan-Martin, 2004). Relevance and trustworthiness of results are the most important features of a search engine (Pletneva et al., 2012). ...
... 7 Although the internet provides an opportunity for dissemination of easy-to-access information for patients, there is no quality assurance online. 8 This results in patients being left to determine the quality of information themselves, which most find challenging, 9 and results in frustration associated with searches. 10 In conditions such as PPROM, where decision-making is often complex, high-quality information that is easy to understand is likely to improve patients' ability to participate in decision-making and reduce anxiety. ...
Background
Preterm prelabour rupture of the membranes (PPROM) complicates 3% of pregnancies and is associated with an increased risk of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. In an attempt to better understand this diagnosis, patients routinely resort to the internet for medical information. The lack of governance online leaves patients at risk of relying on low‐quality websites.
Objectives
To assess systematically the accuracy, quality, readability and credibility of World Wide Web pages on PPROM.
Search Strategy
Five search engines (Google, AOL, Yahoo, Ask and Bing) were searched with location services and browser history disabled. Websites from the first page of all searches were included.
Selection Criteria
Websites were included if they provided at least 300 words of health information aimed at patients relating to PPROM.
Data Collection and Analysis
Validated assessments of health information readability, credibility and quality were undertaken, as was an accuracy assessment. Pertinent facts for accuracy assessment were based on feedback from healthcare professionals and patients through a survey. Characteristics were tabulated.
Main Results
In all, 39 websites were included, with 31 different texts. No pages were written with a reading age of 11 years or less, none were considered credible, and only three were high quality. An accuracy score of 50% or more was obtained by 45% of websites. Information that patients considered pertinent was not consistently reported.
Conclusions
Search engines produce information on PPROM that is low quality, low accuracy and not credible. It is also difficult to read. This risks disempowerment. Healthcare professionals and researchers must consider how to ensure patients have access to information that they can recognise as high quality.
... Even so, considering the small number of SIJ injection videos on YouTube and tendency of people to focus on the first results of their search queries, 100 videos seem fair. [21] ...
Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) injection is recommended for both diagnosis and relief of SIJ pain. YouTube has become a widely used source for health professionals and patients to obtain information about various procedures but the quality of YouTube videos including medical content is questionable. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the quality of SIJ injection videos on YouTube. This cross-sectional study was conducted through March 2022 by searching the phrase "sacroiliac joint injection" on YouTube. After resetting search history top 100 videos were screened. Duration of videos, number of views, number of likes, number of comments, view ratio (number of views/d), time passed since upload date, guide used for injection, and source of videos were recorded. The DISCERN and the Global Quality Scale were used to assess the quality and reliability of the videos. Of the 100 videos screened 42 videos met the inclusion criteria. The videos (73.8%) were predominantly uploaded by physicians. Most frequently used guide for injections was ultrasound with 45.4%. According to the DISCERN classification, 35.7% of the videos were "very poor," 30.9% were "poor," 21.4% were "fair," 7.1% were "good" and 4.7% were "excellent." Physicians and patients should be aware of that many of the videos about SIJ injections are categorized as "poor" or "very poor," which means they may mislead trainees, resulting in inadequate treatments.
... Health is also viewed as an important component in promoting living conditions of individuals in the society globally (Holland, 2017;Gong et al., 2012;Bloom et al., 2004). At the micro level, good health has been linked to increased productivity (Ishibashi and Shimura, 2020), increased income (Mitra et al., 2020), and increased happiness (Lamu and Olsen, 2018;Asadullah et al., 2018). ...
This study examines the relationship between internet use and health outcomes (i.e. infant mortality, under-five mortality, life expectancy) using generalized quantile regression approach. We used annual unbalanced panel data for 48 sub-Saharan Africa countries from 2000 to 2020. The findings show that internet use has a positive and statistically significant impact on improving health outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa to almost all quantiles (10th to 90th). This implies that internet use among individuals increases longevity (i.e. life expectancy) and lowers both infant and under-five mortality from 2000 to 2020. The findings still holds the same after checking robustness analysis. Moreover, the findings reveal the heterogeneous effect of income, health spending, carbon dioxide emissions and trade on health outcomes across different quantiles. These imply that at a certain quantile there are a diminishing returns or increases of health outcomes. Overall, the findings support the idea that increasing internet use and penetration will likely contribute to improving longevity (i.e. life expectancy) and lowering infant and under-five mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. The mechanism of internet use and adoption in influencing health outcomes is also discussed. We suggest sub-Saharan Africa countries to give priority to internet use and adoption strategies, policies or laws that ensure the availability of digital tools (such as smartphones and computers) for online searching and use of health-related information.
... Similar estimates were found in Europe [ 19 ], where over half of those aged 16-to-74 years sought online help. The high accessibility, immediacy, and interactiveness generated by digital platforms are just some of the reasons behind the high prevalence of such behaviour [ 20 ]. Nowadays, mental health disorders are a crucial public health issue, with prevalence rates of depressive and anxiety symptoms steadily increasing. ...
Background:
Most research on web-based help seeking for mental health problems has focused on the antecedents of this behavior. Therefore, little is known about the outcomes of web-based help seeking in general or in specific mental health issues.
Objective:
This study was a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature on the antecedents and consequences of web-based help-seeking behaviors for depressive symptoms.
Methods:
A systematic literature search was carried out in 6 scientific databases, leading to 48 studies (for a total of 314,921 participants) included in the qualitative synthesis and 19 included in the meta-analysis.
Results:
The results indicated a positive relationship between depressive symptoms and web-based help-seeking behaviors through online support groups (r=0.089; P=.009), and Generation Z (r=0.102; P=.008) tended to participate in support groups more than previous generations. In addition, web-based help seeking was positively related to empowerment (r=0.245; P=.004). Other forms of support reported included the internet and specific self-help tools, but no significant relationships were found with depressive symptoms.
Conclusions:
More studies examining the outcomes are needed, together with a more rigorous assessment of web-based help-seeking behaviors. Ultimately, we propose a summary framework for the literature on this topic, including the antecedents, patterns of use, and outcomes of web-based help seeking in the context of depressive symptoms.
... Research has shown that a woman with access to the Internet is better able to manage her pregnancy or periods because she has access to information that she previously found difficult to gather (Karasneh et al., 2020;Sayakhot & Carolan-Olah, 2016). The access to information (in any context) empowers her psychologically (Morahan-Martin, 2004). A psychologically empowered woman feels bold and courageous to take action with less hesitation and more confidence. ...
Mothers play a significant role in deciding their adolescents' educational expenditures. They increasingly rely on the Internet for information search and building online support networks to enhance their confidence. Thus, we use the psychological empowerment theory in this study to examine the association between social media use and educational expenditures. Through two studies, we show how a mother's use of social media (active/passive use) significantly impacts adolescent children's educational expenses via dimensions of psychological empowerment. We further demonstrate that the two dimensions of psychological empowerment differentially drive this relationship: intrapersonal (relying on the self) and Interactional (leveraging the community) empowerment. We discover that active (passive) social media use increases mother” intrapersonal (interactional) empowerment. We also find that cross‐cultural differences play a role in psychological empowermen”s effect on educational expenditures, where intrapersonal empowerment is vital in the United States, and interactional empowerment is more relevant in India. Our key contributions to literature are three‐fold: we establish the relationship between a mother's social media use and educational expenditures for their adolescent children, identify predictors of different dimensions of psychological empowerment, and present evidence for cross‐cultural differences in the empowering role of social media. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
... For each of eight search terms (diabetes, diabetes mellitus, type 2 diabetes, diabetes signs, diabetes symptoms, diabetes treatment, diabetes websites, diabetes education) the first 25 results were examined (paid advertisements were not treated as search results). This search strategy resembles how people typically search for health-related information online (via search engines, using one or two keywords, and viewing only the initial results) [52,53], and is consistent with sampling strategies employed in previous research aiming to identify websites likely to be accessed by the public [46,54]. Search results were excluded if: (1) non-English language; (2) not a website (e.g., YouTube video); (3) website inaccessible (e.g., requires a login, deactivated); (4) not a diabetes-specific website (e.g., bhf.org.uk); ...
Background
People with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have a higher risk of developing breast and bowel cancers but are less likely to participate in cancer screening.
Purpose
Two interlinked studies examined public awareness of the fact that T2DM increases breast and bowel cancer risk, and provision of this information on diabetes websites.
Methods
Study-1: phase-1 surveyed awareness of T2DM-increased cancer risk in a nationally-representative British sample aged 50–74 (N = 1,458) and compared respondents with and without T2DM (n = 125 vs. n = 1,305); phase-2 surveyed an additional exclusively T2DM sample (N = 319). Study-2: High-ranking diabetes websites (N = 25) were reviewed to determine the rate of inclusion of cancer risk and cancer screening information in evident sections about diabetes-related health conditions.
Results
A low proportion of respondents were aware that T2DM increases risk of breast (13.7%) and bowel (27.6%) cancers, compared to much higher awareness of other diabetes-related conditions such as sight loss (82.2%) and foot problems (81.8%). Respondents with T2DM were significantly more likely than those without T2DM to be aware of all the surveyed diabetes-related health conditions (e.g., sight loss, OR: 3.14, 95%CI: 1.61–6.15; foot problems, OR: 2.58, 95%CI: 1.38–4.81), except breast (OR: 0.82, 95%CI: 0.46–1.45) and bowel (OR: 0.95, 95%CI: 0.63–1.45) cancer, for which awareness was equally low among people with and without T2DM. Few diabetes websites with a section on diabetes-related health conditions included cancer in this section (n = 4/19), and fewer still included cancer screening among any noted cancer-protective behaviors (n = 2/4).
Conclusions
There is low public awareness that T2DM increases the risk of developing breast and bowel cancers, even among people with T2DM, which may be partly due to limited information provision regarding T2DM-increased cancer risk from diabetes care providers and organizations.
... The Internet is the fastest developing carrier of health information and the largest medical library in the world. More and more governments, medical departments, enterprises and other institutions have established health information portals, and the health information based on the network is becoming more and more abundant (Morahan-Martin, 2004;Li et al., 2015). According to relevant data from Baidu Index from January to September 2022, the average daily search index for keywords "health" and "medical" is 5,186 (5,000+ is the hot search keyword). ...
With the outbreak of COVID-19 in late 2019, people’s awareness of actively searching for health information has been growing. Coupled with the promotion of “Internet + medical and health,” social media, as an important platform for health information dissemination, has become one of the important information sources for users to obtain health information. However, health information seeking behavior in public health emergencies are quite different from those in daily life. Therefore, the research question of this paper is to explore the influencing factors of health information seeking behavior of social media users in the context of COVID-19. To this end, based on the research framework of social cognition theory, this paper selects six variables to construct a structural equation modeling, including information and platform quality, experience, social support, emotional arousal, self-efficacy, and social media users’ health information seeking behavior. The empirical study is carried out by collecting 219 valid questionnaires. The research results show that: (1) Information and platform quality, and use experience have a significant positive effect on emotional arousal; (2) Experience, social support, and emotional arousal have a significant positive effect on self-efficacy; (3) Emotional arousal and self-efficacy have a significant positive effect on social media users’ health information seeking behavior. The research provides an important theoretical reference for social media users and operators to cope with the huge demand for health information in the post-COVID-19 era.
... Milgrom og medarbeidere fant i en stor representativ studie av ungdom i Singapore at følelsen av kontroll er viktig for ungdom, og at sannsynligheten for unngåelse øker når denne mangler (9). For mange er det naturlig å søke helseinformasjon på internett, og mediet egner seg derfor for helserelaterte intervensjoner i befolkningen (10). Det foreligger allerede noen interaktive programmer for bruk i slik sammenheng (11,12). ...
Vi ønsker å komme i kontakt med tannleger og tannpleiere som behandler pasienter med vegring for tannbehandling. Vårt opplegg innebærer at pasienten registrerer sin profil på en webside og at denne informasjonen overføres til en database. Vi vil bearbeide informasjonen og utarbeide en veiledning for hvordan denne pasienten kan hjelpes best mulig, og sende dette til klinikken før pasienten møter til neste konsultasjon. Dersom du vil være med på dette, send en e-post til ditt-valg@odont.uio.no og vi vil sende deg et registreringsskjema og mer informasjon. Vi må ta et forbehold om at et begrenset antall kan delta i utprøvingen. Mer informasjon kan du få fra Eli-Karin Søvdsnes, tlf: 22 85 20 27. E-post: eli.sovdsnes@odont.uio.no
... In addition, accounting for the large amount of content available online, only a fraction of this has been examined. However, most Internet users search no further than the first 3 result pages [40] and the aim of this study was to analyze the results that patients come across rather than analyze all possible information on the Internet. The low results from comparable studies also suggest that the consistently low values for SAIS content are representative of most SAIS content found online. ...
Objective
The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability and educational quality of content available on Google and YouTube regarding subacromial impingement syndrome (SAIS).
Methods
Google and YouTube were queried for English and German results on SAIS using the search terms “shoulder impingement” and the German equivalent “Schulter Impingement”. The analysis was restricted to the first 30 results of each query performed. Number of views and likes as well as upload source and length of content were recorded. Each result was evaluated by two independent reviewers using the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria (score range, 0–5) to assess reliability and the DISCERN score (score range, 16–80) and a SAIS-specific score (SAISS, score range, 0–100) to evaluate educational content.
Results
The 58 websites found on Google and 48 videos found on YouTube were included in the analysis. The average number of views per video was 220,180 ± 415,966. The average text length was 1375 ± 997 words and the average video duration 456 ± 318 s. The upload sources were mostly non-physician based (74.1% of Google results and 79.2% of YouTube videos). Overall, there were poor results in reliability and educational quality, with sources from doctors having a significantly higher mean reliability measured in the JAMA score ( p < 0.001) and educational quality in DISCERN ( p < 0.001) and SAISS ( p = 0.021). There was no significant difference between German and English results but texts performed significantly better than videos in terms of reliability ( p = 0.002) and educational quality ( p < 0.001).
Conclusion
Information on SAIS found on Google and YouTube is of low reliability and quality. Therefore, orthopedic health practitioners and healthcare providers should inform patients that this source of information may be unreliable and make efforts to provide patients with higher quality alternatives.
Level of evidence: IV, case series.
... 27 This is extremely challenging, as most online health-related information seekers believe all or most information they find on the Internet, and do not carefully assess the sources the websites in question rely on. 28,29 During the COVID-19 pandemic, this is even more important than previously. ...
Background
The COVID-19 pandemic made eHealth literacy skills and online health activities essential for seniors.
Research aims
(a) To examine the differences in eHealth literacy dimensions (awareness of sources, recognizing quality and meaning, understanding information, perceived efficiency, validating information) as related to participants’ health status and education level. (b) To explore the effect of eHealth literacy dimensions on participants’ personal health knowledge.
Methods
We used a cross-sectional design with a convenience sample of 298 Israeli seniors aged 65 or over during the second lockdown. The questionnaire was composed of three sections: (a) background characteristics, (b) an eHealth Literacy scale, and (c) perceived personal health knowledge.
Results
Participants with an excellent health status reported higher levels of awareness of sources and perceived efficiency than participants with poor or good health statuses. Furthermore, participants with a graduate degree understand online information better than participants with a high school education. Moreover, it was found that participants with a high school education sense that they are being smart on the net more than participants with an undergraduate degree. Finally, we found that eHealth literacy dimensions influenced the participants’ personal health knowledge.
Conclusion
As the population ages, it becomes more at risk for disease, and as a result, its health status weakens. Therefore, it is important to provide seniors with appropriate intervention programs for improving their eHealth literacy, which may eliminate health inequality. In addition, caregivers need to develop patients’ eHealth literacy skills—finding, evaluation, and interpretation of online health knowledge relevant to them.
... Digital health has become ubiquitous. Everyday millions of people turn to the Internet for health information and treatment advice [41,61]. For instance, in Australia, around 80% of people search the Internet for health information, and nearly 40% seek guidance online for self-treatment [13,27]. ...
Objectives
To present our AI-based symptom checker, rigorously measure its accuracy, and compare it against existing popular symptom checkers and seasoned primary care physicians.
Design
Vignettes study.
Setting
400 gold-standard primary care vignettes.
Intervention/Comparator
We utilized 7 standard accuracy metrics for evaluating the performance of 6 symptom checkers. To this end, we developed and peer-reviewed 400 vignettes, each approved by at least 5 out of 7 independent and experienced general practitioners. To the best of our knowledge, this yielded the largest benchmark vignette suite in the field thus far. To establish a frame of reference and interpret the results of symptom checkers accordingly, we further directly compared the best-performing symptom checker against 3 primary care physicians with an average experience of 16.6 years.
Primary Outcome Measures
We thoroughly studied the diagnostic accuracies of symptom checkers and physicians from 7 standard angles, including: (a) M 1, M 3, and M 5 as measures of a symptom checker’s or a physician’s ability to return a vignette’s main diagnosis at the top, among the first 3 diseases, or among the first 5 diseases of their differential diagnosis, respectively (b) recall as a measure of the percentage of relevant diseases that are returned in a symptom checker’s or a physician’s differential diagnosis, (c) precision as a measure of the percentage of diseases in a symptom checker’s or a physician’s differential diagnosis that are relevant, (d) F1-measure as a trade-off measure between recall and precision, and (e) Normalized Discounted Cumulative Gain or NDCG as a measure of ranking quality of a symptom checker’s or a physician’s differential diagnosis.
Results
Our AI-based symptom checker, namely, Avey significantly outperformed 5 popular symptom checkers, namely, Ada, WebMD, K Health, Buoy, and Babylon by averages of 24.5%, 175.5%, 142.8%, 159.6%, 2968.1% using M 1; 22.4%, 114.5%, 123.8%, 118.2%, 3392% using M 3; 18.1%, 79.2%, 116.8%, 125%, 3114.2% using M 5; 25.2%, 65.6%, 109.4%, 154%, 3545% using recall; 8.7%, 88.9%, 66.4%, 88.9%, 2084% using F1-measure; and 21.2%, 93.4%, 113.3%, 136.4%, 3091.6% using NDCG, respectively. Under precision, Ada outperformed Avey by an average of 0.9%, while Avey surpassed WebMD, K Health, Buoy, and Babylon by averages of 103.2%, 40.9%, 49.6%, and 1148.5%, respectively. To the contrary of symptom checkers, physicians outperformed Avey by averages of 37.1% and 1.2% using precision and F1-measure, while Avey exceeded them by averages of 10.2%, 20.4%, 23.4%, 56.4%, and 25.1% using M 1, M 3, M 5, recall, and NDCG, respectively. To facilitate the reproducibility of our study and support future related studies, we made all our gold-standard vignettes publicly and freely available. Moreover, we posted online all the results of the symptoms checkers and physicians (i.e., 45 sets of experiments) to establish a standard of full transparency and enable verifying and cross validating our results.
Conclusions
Avey tremendously outperformed the considered symptom checkers. In addition, it compared favourably to physicians, whereby it underperformed them under some accuracy metrics (e.g., precision and F1-measure), but outperformed them under some others (e.g., M 1, M 3, M 5, recall, and NDCG). We will continue evolving Avey’s AI model. Furthermore, we will study its usability with real patients, examine how they respond to its suggestions, and measure its impact on their subsequent choices for care, among others.
... For readability assessment (limited to websites with English version only), the first 5 answers from the FAQs or Q&A page were transferred to Office Word software (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Washington, USA). The first 5 answers were used for evaluation, as online health information seekers rarely go beyond the first page of a search [66] and we reasoned that 5 FAQs would occupy a similar page space. The Flesch Reading Ease score and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level statistic [67] were computed automatically by its in-built ...
Background:
Online information on COVID-19 vaccination may influence people's perception and willingness to be vaccinated. Official websites of vaccination programs have not been systematically assessed before.
Objective:
This study aimed to assess and compare the readability and content quality of Web-based information on COVID-19 vaccination posted on official/governmental websites. Furthermore, the relationship between evaluated website parameters and country vaccination rates were calculated.
Methods:
By referring to an open dataset hosted at Our World in Data, the 58 countries/regions with the highest total vaccination count as of 8th of July 2021 were identified. Together with the websites from World Health Organization (WHO) and European Commission, a total of 60 vaccination campaign websites were targeted. The "frequently asked questions" or "questions and answers" section of the websites were evaluated in terms of readability (Flesch Reading Ease score [FRE] and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level [FKGL]), quality (Health On the Net Foundation code [HONcode] certification and Quality Evaluation Scoring Tool [QUEST]), and content stating vaccination duration of protection and potential side effects.
Results:
In terms of readability, the FRE score of the vaccination FAQ websites ranged between 11.2-69.5, with a mean of 40.9 (SD = 13.2). Meanwhile, the FKGL ranged between 6.5-17.6, with a mean of 12.1 (SD = 2.8). In terms of quality, only two websites were HONcode certified, and the QUEST score of the websites ranged between 7-20, with a mean of 15.3 (SD = 3.1). Half of the websites (25 out of 50) did not present a publication date or date of last update. Regarding the duration of protection offered by the vaccines, 46.0% of the websites (23 out of 50) stated that they do not know, and another 40.0% did not address it. Five side effects of the vaccinations were most frequently mentioned, namely fever/chill (85.1%), various injection site discomfort events (e.g., swelling, redness, pain) (83.0%), headache (76.6%), fatigue (70.2%), and muscle/joint pain (66.0%).
Conclusions:
In general, the content quality of most of the evaluated websites was good, but HONcode certification should be considered, content should be written in more readable manner, and a publication date or date of last update should be presented.
Clinicaltrial:
... The large amount of information on social media regarding the COVID-19 vaccines makes it difficult for users to evaluate the credibility of this information (Morahan-Martin, 2004). Instead of getting answers through interactions on social media, individuals are even more burdened with existing information (Eichenberg & Schott, 2019), especially, if they find conflicting information as such information simply causes them to conduct further searches for more concrete evidence (Laato, Islam, Farooq, & Dhir, 2020). ...
This research proposes and tests an integrated model to explain how information overload influence vaccine skepticism and vaccination intention. In addition, this research investigates the effectiveness of using a celebrity endorsement strategy in promoting vaccination and compares its effectiveness with other endorsement types. A survey study (Study 1) was conducted to examine the mechanism underlying the impact of the COVID-19 vaccine information overload on vaccine skepticism that, subsequently, affects vaccination intention. It also examined the moderating role of celebrity endorsement trustworthiness. The results indicate that information overload positively influenced vaccine skepticism through cyberchondria and perceived risk of the vaccine, which subsequently reduces vaccination intention. The negative effect of vaccine skepticism on vaccination intention was weakened by the celebrity endorsement that was considered trustworthy. A follow-up experimental study (Study 2) was performed to compare the effectiveness of celebrity endorsement with other endorsement types (i.e., government official and medical expert endorsements). The results showed that the celebrity endorsement was more effective in mitigating the negative effect of vaccine skepticism on vaccination intention compared to government official and medical expert. The findings provide practical insights into how governments can minimize people's vaccine skeptical views and increase their vaccination intentions.
... The most glaring gap in our understanding of youth seeking (and sharing) MHI online is the lack of empirical studies about youth engagement with user-generated content and other social media. 110 This is a critical omission, and researchers and clinicians are at significant risk of being 'in the dark' regarding key emerging trends. Anecdotal evidence suggests that these 'information environments' are overtaking the use of commercial search engines by youth and that young people are increasingly contributors to online MHI rather than being consumers only. ...
Background
Online searches about anxiety and depression are recorded every 3-5 seconds. As such, information and communication technologies (ICT) have enormous potential to enable or impair help-seeking and patient-professional interactions. Youth studies indicate that ICT searches are undertaken before initial mental health consultations, but no publications have considered how this online activity affects the first steps of the patient journey in youth mental health settings.
Methods
State-of-the-art review using an iterative, evidence mapping approach to identify key literature and expert consensus to synthesize and prioritise clinical and research issues.
Results
Adolescents and young adults are more likely to seek health advice via online search engines or social media platforms than from a health professional. Young people not only search user-generated content and social media to obtain advice and support from online communities but increasingly contribute personal information online.
Conclusions
A major clinical challenge is to raise professional awareness of the likely impact of this activity on mental health consultations. Potential strategies range from modifying the structure of clinical consultations to ensure young people are able to disclose ICT activities related to mental health, through to the development and implementation of ‘internet prescriptions’ and a youth-focused ‘toolkit’.
... Searching for online health information has been increasingly popular for the past few decades due to its ease of access, anonymity, and immediacy [1]. As of 2017, about 75% of Americans reported the internet as a primary source of health or medical information [2]. ...
Little attention has been paid to online health information seeking (OHIS) among immigrants residing in rural areas. This study examines the intensity of OHIS among Korean American (KA) immigrants living in rural Alabama. A total number of 261 KA immigrants aged 23 to 75 participated in the study. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted. Age (B = − 0.044, p < 0.05), marital status (B = 1.132, p < 0.05), race/ethnic discrimination (B = 0.821, p < 0.05), having computer or tablet (B = 1.286, p < 0.05), and access to internet (B = 1.778, p < 0.01) were associated with the intensity of OHIS. Substantial efforts should be devoted to narrowing the access gap by providing offline health information services for those without internet access and with limited health literacy. Moreover, culturally competent healthcare services and information should be provided to serve racial/ethnic minority populations better.
... The most important limitation of the study was that the first 50 videos were watched and assessed. However, previous studies were also found to conduct a similar assessment (22,23). Another limitation of the study was that the assessment was made by two orthopedists. ...
Objective:The aim of the present study was to assess the quality, reliability and educational value of health-related information videos about lateral epicondylitis on YouTube.Method:The study conducted a search on YouTube on April 1, 2021 using the search term ‘‘lateral epicondylitis’’. Based on relevance to this keyword, the first 50 videos were recorded for assessment. The videos were assessed by two orthopedic surgeons. Video length in seconds, view counts, number of likes, number of dislikes, video category (animation or not), video content, days since upload, and source of upload (uploader) were recorded. All videos were analyzed for length, view counts, number of likes and source of upload. Quality of the videos was assessed using the global quality score (GQS) (score range: 0-4), Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) score (0-5), and DISCERN (15-75) score. The data were statistically analyzed according to these scoring systems.Results:Like rate had no significant correlation with GQS, DISCERN, and JAMA scores. There was a significant positive correlation between view rate and GQS scores (p=0.038). View rate had no significant correlation with DISCERN (p=0.453) and JAMA scores (p=0.946). There was a significant positive correlation between video power index and GQS scores (p=0.036). Video power index had no significant correlation with DISCERN (p=0.442) and JAMA scores (p=0.938). According to the source of upload, there was a significant difference in JAMA and DISCERN scores between physicians and non-physicians. GQS did not significantly differ (p=0.15) according to the source of upload.Conclusion:The analysis of the first 50 videos relevant to lateral epicondylitis on YouTube revealed that videos were uploaded mainly by healthcare professionals. Overall, the 50 videos had an average level of adequacy.
... 10 In the past, people tended to consume information about diseases in text form, but with an increase in Internet usage, a lot of information is being disseminated through video-sharing platforms. 11 These platforms have the potential to serve as important vehicles for sharing and disseminating information, both as repositories of videos and as social networking interfaces where users can interact and socialize. 10 In Korea, the number of users of the YouTube app in September 2020 was 43.19 million (83%), out of 51.78 million mobile smartphone owners. ...
Background:
YouTube has become an increasingly popular educational tool and an important source of healthcare information. We investigated the reliability and quality of the information in Korean-language YouTube videos about gout.
Methods:
We performed a comprehensive electronic search on April 2, 2021, using the following keywords-"gout," "acute gout," "gouty arthritis," "gout treatment," and "gout attack"-and identified 140 videos in the Korean language. Two rheumatologists then categorized the videos into three groups: "useful," "misleading," and "personal experience." Reliability was determined using a five-item questionnaire modified from the DISCERN validation tool, and overall quality scores were based on the Global Quality Scale (GQS).
Results:
Among the 140 videos identified, 105 (75.0%), 29 (20.7%), and 6 (4.3%) were categorized as "useful," "misleading," and "personal experience," respectively. Most videos in the "useful" group were created by rheumatologists (70.5%). The mean DISCERN and GQS scores in the "useful" group (3.3 ± 1.0 and 3.8 ± 0.7) were higher than those in the "misleading" (0.9 ± 1.0 and 1.9 ± 0.6) and "personal experience" groups (0.8 ± 1.2 and 2.0 ± 0.8) (P < 0.001 for both the DISCERN and GQS tools).
Conclusion:
Approximately 75% of YouTube videos that contain educational material regarding gout were useful; however, we observed some inaccuracies in the medical information provided. Healthcare professionals should closely monitor media content and actively participate in the development of videos that provide accurate medical information.
... 17 Only the first three pages of each engine (10 websites per page) were searched because it has been demonstrated that Internet users rarely go beyond the 30th result when identifying websites to access. 18 All the printable tools reviewed were identified as links from websites. ...
Aims
The prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) is increasing rapidly with the growing utilization of catheter ablation (CA) as a treatment strategy. Education for individuals undertaking this procedure is diverse, with varying degrees of information provided and little standardization. Many individuals utilize the internet as an educational resource. However, there is limited regulation of online patient information. To evaluate the quality of web-based patient education resources for patients undergoing CA for AF.
Methods and results
A cross-sectional observational study was performed to obtain all freely accessible online educational resources about CA for AF from inception until 1 October 2019. Search engines used: Google, Yahoo!, and Bing. The Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT) was used to evaluate the quality of web-based patient education materials and printable tools. The PEMAT score objectively measures both the understandability and actionability of educational material. A total of 17 websites and 15 printable sources were included in the analysis. Non-government organizations developed 19% of materials and 75% were created by private or university hospitals. Nineteen sources (59.4%) were rated as highly understandable: 9 websites (52.9%) and 10 printable tools (66.7%). Seven sources (21.9%) were rated as highly actionable: 6 (35.3%) websites and 1 (6.7%) printable tool.
Conclusion
The overall understandability of educational CA material was high, whilst improvement of actionability is warranted. The addition of summaries, visual aids, and tools, such as checklists may improve quality. These findings have significant implications for the development of patient educational material for CA in AF.
... Previous research has shown that 41% of viewers click on entries on the first page, with only 20% searching beyond the third page. [16,17] However, YouTube ™ has updated its search layout by continuously adding new videos as a user reaches the bottom of the page, dubbed the "infinite scroll." Therefore, the first 50 videos, representing 2.5 pages of videos on the older layout (20 videos per page × 2.5 pages = 50 videos) that fulfilled any of the following requirements had its title and URL recorded: 1. ...
Introduction: YouTube™ has grown into one of the largest disseminators of health care information. We assessed the quality of information on varicoceles and their treatment, available on YouTube™.
Methods: Using a YouTube™ search query with the keyword “varicocele,” the quality of the first 50, nonrepeat videos in English were assessed as a representative group for the topic. DISCERN and Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Audiovisual Materials (PEMAT-AV) standardized tools were utilized by three independent reviewers to grade the quality of these videos based on content, understandability, and actionability.
Results: The average and median DISCERN score was 31.34 (±9.37) and 31 (interquartile range 25–35), respectively, indicating poor quality. The interrater reliability (IRR) scores ranged from 0.51 to 0.93, indicating fair to excellent reliability. The average PEMAT-AV understandability and actionability scores were 69.8% ±15.4% and 11.0% ±24.6%, respectively, indicating mostly understandable but poor actionability. The t-test results showed that international videos scored higher without statistical significance in the DISCERN or PEMAT-AV scores (P = 0.18, 0.59, and 0.20).
Conclusions: The current quality of videos on YouTube™ on the topic of varicoceles is of poor quality due to a lack of a holistic approach in explaining the wide range of treatment options available. With the ease of access to produce and disseminate health information, there is a need to create high-quality videos on varicoceles that empower a patient to make an informed decision.
... Our study has some limitations. Our sample includes a search of only one keyword and was of quite a small size, i.e. just the 100 most viewed videos instead of all uploaded content, but we think that our sample is sufficient to interpret and to makes inferences given the similar strategies on search [14,17]. Although interpretation of videos is person-dependent, 3 independent urologists scored the videos to minimize the impact of person-based interpretation of the videos. ...
Introduction
The number of social media users is gradually increasing, and they are spending their time gathering a lot of useful information for themselves. Here, we analysed the quality of Holmium Laser Enucleation of Prostate (HoLEP) surgery videos on YouTube.
Aim
To assess the quality of the most viewed HoLEP videos on YouTube using validated questionnaires and scoring systems developed to evaluate the significant features.
Material and methods
The most viewed 98 videos were included in this study by the search for ‘Holep’ keyword on YouTube. The Journal of American Medical Association Benchmark Score (JAMAS) and Global Quality Score (GQS) were used to analyse the videos after the validated HoLEP Scoring System Score (HSSS) was performed by 3 HoLEP trained surgeons to evaluate the technical quality of videos.
Results
The videos including surgical technique (76.5%) and uploaded by urologists (63.3%) constituted the majority of videos. The median of JAMAS, GQS, and HSSS were 1 (0–3), 2 (0–4), and 1.5 (0–11), respectively. The mean GQS and JAMAS of videos uploaded by academic centres was higher than those uploaded by commercial centres and urologists (p = 0.01; p = 0.01, respectively). The mean HSSS was lower in the videos uploaded in the last 5 years, while JAMAS was higher (p = 0.03, p = 0.005, respectively). The mean GQS and HSSS of videos with higher likes were found statistically significantly higher (p = 0.01; p = 0.02, respectively).
Conclusions
HoLEP videos on YouTube are not adequate to obtain proper information about the surgery. Videos uploaded by academic centres and in recent years provide more valid information for patients and urologists. To increase the value of information, online materials need to be checked, for patients to access accurate, reliable, and appropriate healthcare information.
Introduction
Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most common inherited kidney disease in adults. As a social media platform, YouTube has tremendous potential to both support and hinder public health efforts. The aim of this study was to assess the reliability and quality of the most viewed English-language YouTube videos on ADPKD.
Methods
A YouTube search was conducted on 3 August 2023, using the keyword ADPKD disease and the top 200 videos were analyzed for relevance. Videos in the “Short” category that were duplicates, were not in English, were not audio or visual, and contained advertisements were excluded. Two reviewers divided the 159 included videos into groups based on their source and content.
Results
In 106 (66.7%) of the 159 videos, general information about the disease was given, 58 (36.5%) discussed medical treatment, 11 (6.9%) discussed surgical treatment, 30 (18.9%) included patient images and radiological images, and eight (5%) discussed the genetic and pathological features of the disease. Additionally, 16 (10.1%) videos fell into the “other” category. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, Quality Criteria for Consumer Health Information and Global Quality Scale scoring systems, videos uploaded by health associations and foundations received the highest scores (3 (1–4), 54 (28–70), 4 (1–5), respectively).
Conclusion
Academic institutions and other official health organizations such as Health Associations/Foundations need to use YouTube more effectively to disseminate accurate, reliable and useful health-related information to society.
Social networks have become a recurrent source of health information, but they also represent a space for the dissemination of erroneous or false information, which becomes more worrying when dealing with underage audiences. The aim of this study was to find out what resources and capabilities adolescents have to deal with the erroneous health content they receive through TikTok. To provide a comprehensive perspective, one of the parents of each sampled child was also interviewed with the aim of discovering their assessment of how their children dealt with this content. 40 interviews were carried out, and among the main findings, a common practice of distrust by default of the contents consumed on the Internet stood out, both in adults and in minors. While the latter always sought in the content an occasion to entertain themselves, parents doubted that their children were capable of recognizing erroneous information.
Objective (s): Many information sources including mass media provide health information in order to increase awareness and promote people's health. The aim of this study was to examine people’s trust in mass media and virtual social networks health information.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among a random sample of adults aged 18 to 65 years living in Tehran, Iran. The data were collected using a questionnaire and descriptive statistics were applied to analyze the data.
Results: A total of 1174 adults (581 women and 615 men) with a mean age of 37.2 ± 13.02 years and mean education years of 12.5 ± 3.8 years were studied. The highest trust in health information was reported for television (65%) followed by radio (56%). This for social media was 30%. The results obtained from multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that there were no association between trust and demographic variables. However, association between trust and the amount of mass media or social networks use was observed. A unit, increase in the use of mass media and social networks health information increased the odds for trust about 2 to 3.4 times.
Conclusion: The study results showed that people’s trust on television and radio for seeking health information was relatively high. This implies that those who provide health for television v and radio have significant responsibility to convey correct information to the public.
Objective: To assess the quality of information presented in YouTube videos about human papillomavirus vaccination.
Method: The descriptive study was conducted at Konya Meram Education and Research Hospital, On October 15, 2019 when the YouTube website was search using the terms ‘human papillomavirus’, ‘HPV vaccine’ and ‘Gardasil’. The videos were recorded to a playlist by two individual gynaecologists to prevent any change in the listed videos. The videos were categorised into 3 groups; useful information group A, misleading information group B and insufficient information group C. The quality of the videos was scored using global quality scale from 1 = poor quality to 5 = excellent quality. DISCERN scale was used for reliability. A 10-point scale was used to evaluate comprehensiveness of the videos. Data was analysed using SPSS 20.
Results: Of the 200 videos assessed, 179(89.5%) were analysed. There were 17(9.5%) videos in group A, 38(21.2%) in group B and 124(69.3%) in group C. Mean global quality scale score was 3.94±1.39 group A, 1.84±0.59 group B and 3.13±0.94 group C (p
Background:
Ibrutinib, one Food and Drug Administration-approved, orally available, small-molecule Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, is an effective targeted therapy for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). YouTube is increasingly used for health purposes. However, videos for ibrutinib on YouTube have not been previously evaluated. This study assessed the accuracy and quality of YouTube videos on ibrutinib, to better understand the information shown on a dominant media platform.
Methods:
The first 150 video results returned by the YouTube search engine in response to the keyword "ibrutinib" were included (up to June 27, 2022). Typically used predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to screen the videos based on our needs. A 5-point Global Quality Scale (GQS) determined whether the videos would be useful to patients or not, and the quality of content was analyzed by five content-specific items. The quality of the included videos was classified as "low", "moderate", or "excellent" according to GQS and content score. The median and interquartile range were used to describe the values and Kruskal-Wallis test were used in the analysis.
Results:
A total of 99 videos with a median of 237 views met the inclusion criteria. The videos were categorized into educational videos (n=6, 6.07%), personal experience and blog (n=3, 3.03%) and interviews videos (n=90, 90.9%). Almost half of the videos were classified as moderate (n=51, 51.51%), followed by excellent (n=25, 25.26%) and low (n=23, 23.23%). Between the groups, no statistically significant differences were observed in the numbers of dislikes, comments, posted days, percentage positivity and viewing rate (P>0.05). There were marked differences in the length, likes, views, viewers' interaction and likeability (P<0.05).
Conclusions:
YouTube could be an effective source for different groups of people to obtain helpful information about ibrutinib. The physicians, pharmacists, nurses and healthcare organizations should prepare and upload more comprehensible and reliable videos with evidence-based information.
INTRODUCTION: The internet is increasingly becoming important in daily life and healthcare services do not resist this change and keep evolving accordingly. In this study it was aimed to evaluate the awareness of pediatric urology, use of the internet for medical purposes by the parents of pediatric urology patients. METHODS: A well-prepared 12-question anonymous questionnaire was administered to randomly selected 139 parents. Parents were questioned on whether they sought on the web information about the urologic problem of their child before presenting to the outpatient clinic, if so from which websites, whether the search results were useful, how it affected their relationship with the physician, whether they had knowledge about the pediatric urology subspecialty before presenting to outpatient clinic. RESULTS: Percentages of internet access increased parallel to the increased level of education. In the educational status analysis of the parents who performed an internet search, the ratio of the graduates of the university and above (90.9%) were statistically higher than primary school graduates (62.5%). The average age of children whose parents performed internet search was significantly lower than whose parents did not (6.3+-3.9 vs 8.4+-5.1 years respectively). The sources used for the internet search were statistically different across different levels of education. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Significant use of the internet among those attending pediatric urology outpatient clinic is demonstrated and that there was less awareness of the pediatric urology.
Objective: This study evaluated the quality, reliability and effectiveness of YouTube videos addressing retinal detachment. Material and Methods:An online search of YouTube was performed using the keyword retinal detachment and the first 100 videos were included in the study. All videos were evaluated numbers of likes, dislikes, comments, view, daily viewing rate, uploaded source (physicians, public/private institution, or health channel), country of origin, video type (patient experience, scholarly information), and contents (clinic, treatment or both of them), Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), DISCERN, global quality (GQS) and usefulness scores by two independent ophthalmologists. Results:Eighty eight videos of the top 100 videos met the criteria. The mean DISCERN, JAMA, GQS and usefulness score were 44.81 ± 14, 1.66 ± 0.58, 2.81 ± 0.93 and 2.05 ± 1.24, respectively. 52 (59.1%) videos were uploded by physicians and 36 (40.9%) videos were uploded by non-physicians. In the correlation analysis, the all scoring systems showed a significant and strong positive correlation with each other (p
Introduction
Patients commonly use YouTube for education, and this may have increased due to COVID‐19 related restrictions on access to healthcare professionals. However, YouTube videos lack peer review and regulation. To assess patient education in the COVID‐19 era, we analyzed the quality of YouTube videos on coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.
Methods
We searched YouTube using the phrase “coronary artery bypass graft.” Two authors individually used the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), DISCERN, and Health on the Net (HON) systems, to rate the first 50 videos retrieved. Data collected for each video included; number of views, duration since upload, percentage positivity (proportion of likes relative to total likes plus dislikes), number of comments, and video author. Interobserver reliability was assessed using an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Associations between video characteristics and quality were tested using linear regression or t‐tests.
Results
The average number of views was 575,571. Average quality was poor, with mean scores of 1.93/4 (ICC 0.54) for JAMA criteria, 2.52/5 (ICC 0.78) for DISCERN criteria, and 4.04/8 (ICC 0.66) for HON criteria. Videos uploaded by surgeons scored highest overall (p < .05). No other factors demonstrated significant association with video quality.
Conclusion
YouTube videos on CABG surgery are of poor quality and may be inadequate for patient education. Given the complexity of the procedure and that beyond the COVID‐19 era, patients are more likely to seek education from digital sources, treating surgeons should advise of YouTube's limitations and direct patients to reliable sources of information.
Despite the substantial amount of health-related information available on the Internet, little is known about the accessibility, quality, and reading grade level of that health information.
To evaluate health information on breast cancer, depression, obesity, and childhood asthma available through English- and Spanish-language search engines and Web sites.
Three unique studies were performed from July 2000 through December 2000. Accessibility of 14 search engines was assessed using a structured search experiment. Quality of 25 health Web sites and content provided by 1 search engine was evaluated by 34 physicians using structured implicit review (interrater reliability >0.90). The reading grade level of text selected for structured implicit review was established using the Fry Readability Graph method.
For the accessibility study, proportion of links leading to relevant content; for quality, coverage and accuracy of key clinical elements; and grade level reading formulas.
Less than one quarter of the search engine's first pages of links led to relevant content (20% of English and 12% of Spanish). On average, 45% of the clinical elements on English- and 22% on Spanish-language Web sites were more than minimally covered and completely accurate and 24% of the clinical elements on English- and 53% on Spanish-language Web sites were not covered at all. All English and 86% of Spanish Web sites required high school level or greater reading ability.
Accessing health information using search engines and simple search terms is not efficient. Coverage of key information on English- and Spanish-language Web sites is poor and inconsistent, although the accuracy of the information provided is generally good. High reading levels are required to comprehend Web-based health information.
The internet provides an easily accessible forum to disseminate both accurate and inaccurate health information—so it has the potential to facilitate but also to jeopardise healthcare provision. 1 2 Many criteria have been alleged to capture the quality of health websites, 3 4 but the validity of these criteria needs to be examined.5 The source, currency, and hierarchy of the evidence posted on a website may be used to judge its credibility—that is, the power of inspiring belief. If these criteria were fulfilled, the contents of the website would be expected to be accurate. We determined whether websites that seem to be credible provide accurate health information.
We determined the relation between credibility features and accuracy of contents of 121 websites that provided information on five common health topics: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease …
To describe techniques for retrieval and appraisal used by consumers when they search for health information on the internet.
Qualitative study using focus groups, naturalistic observation of consumers searching the world wide web in a usability laboratory, and in-depth interviews.
A total of 21 users of the internet participated in three focus group sessions. 17 participants were given a series of health questions and observed in a usability laboratory setting while retrieving health information from the web; this was followed by in-depth interviews.
Heidelberg, Germany.
Although their search technique was often suboptimal, internet users successfully found health information to answer questions in an average of 5 minutes 42 seconds (median 4 minutes 18 seconds) per question. Participants in focus groups said that when assessing the credibility of a website they primarily looked for the source, a professional design, a scientific or official touch, language, and ease of use. However, in the observational study, no participants checked any "about us" sections of websites, disclaimers, or disclosure statements. In the post-search interviews, it emerged that very few participants had noticed and remembered which websites they had retrieved information from.
Further observational studies are needed to design and evaluate educational and technological innovations for guiding consumers to high quality health information on the web.
To assess medical information provided in a medically oriented Internet discussion group, in terms of the professional status of the individuals providing information, the consistency of the information with standard medical practice, and the nature of the evidence cited in support of specific claims or recommendations.
Standardized review of 1,658 consecutive messages on a particular online discussion group during a 5-month period.
An online discussion group for sufferers of painful hand and arm conditions.
All participants in this discussion group during the study period.
Professional training of those offering medical information, consistency of the advice and recommendations offered with conventional medical practice, and nature of evidence cited in support of medical claims were determined. Of all messages, 55.9% (927) addressed a medical topic. Of these, 79% (732) provided medical information, of which 89.3% (654) were authored by persons without professional medical training, and 5.1% (37) were authored by trained health professionals. Approximately one third of the medical information provided was classified as unconventional. Personal experience was the basis of information provided in 61% of the nonprofessionals' messages and 13.5% of the professionals' messages, while no source was given as the basis of information provided in 29.8% of the nonprofessionals' messages and 67.6% of the professionals' messages. A published source was cited in 9.2% of the nonprofessionals' and 18.9% of the professionals' messages.
These findings suggest that medical information available on Internet discussion groups may come from nonprofessionals and may be unconventional, based on limited evidence, and/or inappropriate.
Patient education is an important component of family practice. Pamphlets, verbal instructions, and physicians' self-created materials have been the most common resources for patient education. Today, however, the popularity of the World Wide Web (Web) as a ready source of educational materials is increasing. The reading skills required by a patient to understand that information has not been determined. The objective of our study was to assess the readability of medical information on the Web that is specifically intended for patients.
An investigator downloaded 50 sequential samples of patient education material from the Web. This information was then evaluated for readability using the Flesch reading score and Flesch-Kinkaid reading level.
On average, the patient information from the Web in our sample is written at a 10th grade, 2nd month reading level. Previous studies have shown that this readability level is not comprehensible to the majority of patients.
Much of the medical information targeted for the general public on the Web is written at a reading level higher than is easily understood by much of the patient population.
Internet technology is helping to reshape patient education. An illustration of this is provided by data from a two-stage pilot study involving 100 senior citizens who received instruction on how to conduct health information searches on the Internet. The goals were to enable the seniors to assume an active role in their health care and to share their information with family and friends. In a Train-the-Trainer approach, 20 trainers received instruction on searching for health information on the Internet, and subsequently trained 100 senior citizen trainees. The study was conducted from October 1997 to June 1998. The average age of the senior trainees was 69. Most had a college education. The study results reveal a positive impact of the training on senior trainee confidence in using the computer and the Internet, conducting health information searches online, and sharing health care information with their physicians, families, and friends. Some gender and educational differences were noted. In a 90-day posttraining follow-up, 66% of the trainees continued to use the Internet, with 47% of them using it to search for health information. Two thirds of those who searched for health information on the Internet talked about it with their physicians, with more than half reporting they were more satisfied with their treatment as a result of their searches and subsequent discussion with their physicians. These findings are relevant to patient education in the nursing curricula of nursing students and nurse practitioners. Some suggestions are given to improve the effectiveness of the training program.
The aim of this study was to (1) characterize the source of additional medical information acquired by parents and (2) to verify how much information is correctly interpreted and remembered correctly.
A cross-sectional prospective study was made of parents of 108 children with surgical diseases consecutively admitted to a children's hospital in 1999. The median age of the children was 3 years (range, 0.01 to 16), and that of parents was 34 years (range, 18 to 54). Parental knowledge and understanding of their child's illness, operation, potential operative risk, and long-term outcome were scored on the basis of (1) parents' self appraisal (questionnaire) and (2) objective evaluation (interview) performed by one investigator not involved in the child's care.
Parents' education included a university degree (15%), entry examination for university (13%), basic educational qualification (47%), and no educational qualification (15%). Additional medical information was obtained by 77% of the parents (63% from general practitioner, 46% from books, 31% from popular magazines, 24% from internet). Inadequate knowledge of illness and treatment was highlighted in 12% and 19% of the assessment made by interview, respectively, compared with 8% and 14% of the self appraisals. Inadequate knowledge of operative risk was higher in the assessment made by interview (42%) compared with self appraisal (9%; P <.0001). Similarly, inadequate knowledge of long-term outcome was higher in the interview (28%) compared with self appraisal (13%; P <.05). Acquisition of additional medical information irrespective of the source did not affect the accuracy of parental knowledge. Medical knowledge was more accurate in parents of children who required major operations and in those with higher educational qualifications (P <.05).
Parents commonly obtain additional medical information. However, this information does not necessarily improve parents' understanding of the child's operative risk and long-term problems. Parents' perception of having adequate medical information often is incorrect.
Clinical experience suggests that the Internet is increasingly becoming a resource for patients seen in medical genetics. A prospective analysis was performed exploring patient use of the Internet prior to attending a medical genetics appointment. We administered 200 questionnaires assessing: 1) the frequency of patient use of the Internet for genetic information, 2) factors associated with Internet use, 3) patient assessment of the value of the information, and 4) patient views of the responsibility of medical genetics professionals to be familiar with Internet information. Results show that 77% (153/200) of patients have access to the Internet of which 29% (44/153) report searching the Internet for genetic information. A correlation was found between patient use of the Internet and reason for referral (p<0.001), presence of a specific diagnosis (p<0.001), and frequency of Internet use (p<0.05). Overall, 80% (33/41) of patients found Internet information useful. Seventy-four percent (115/155) believed that medical genetics professionals have a responsibility to review relevant Internet sites for accuracy and 80% (123/153) felt that professionals should provide their patients with appropriate and useful Internet sites. These results suggest that the role of medical genetics professionals is changing as a result of the development of the Internet.
To evaluate the use of the news media and the Internet as sources of medical information by patients and oncologists in Canada and to investigate the impact on patients' treatment decisions and the patient-doctor relationship.
During a 2-week period, 191 ambulatory patients participated in the survey. Questionnaires were also mailed to Canadian oncologists: 410 of 686 questionnaires were returned (response rate = 60%).
Of the 191 patients, 86% wanted as much information as possible about their illness, 54% reported receiving insufficient information, 83% cited physicians as their primary information source, and 7% cited the Internet. Seventy-one percent of patients actively searched for information, and 50% used the Internet. Patients' opinions about the balance, accuracy, and relevance of news media reports were evenly split. English as the first language, access to the Internet, and use of alternative treatments predicted a higher rate of information seeking. Most oncologists routinely pay some attention to medical news and believe that it is difficult for patients to interpret medical information in the media and on the Internet accurately. Both patients and oncologists agree that information seeking does not affect the patient-physician relationship.
Information searching is common among cancer patients in Canada. It does not affect the patient-doctor relationship. The media and the Internet are powerful means of medical information dissemination. Strategic efforts are needed to improve the quality of medical news reporting by the media, and to provide guidance for patients to understand their disease and interpret such information better.
We sought to document the prevalence of Internet access and usage patterns among families who have children with congenital heart disease presenting for cardiac surgery.
A cross-sectional study was performed utilizing a questionnaire (10 questions) as the study tool. Statistical analysis was performed on all completed questionnaires. The chi(2) test was used to evaluate categorical variables and the t test to evaluate continuous variables.
Two hundred seventy-five questionnaires were completed and analyzed. Thirty-seven percent (102/275) of the children had a cyanotic congenital heart defect. There were 21 children with Trisomy 21. Fifty-eight percent (160/275) of families had access to the Internet. The most common locations for accessing the Internet were home (80%; 129/160) and work (51%; 82/160). There were no significant differences in Internet access with regards to underlying individual congenital heart defect, cyanotic versus acyanotic heart defects, or congenital heart defects with functional univentricular hearts versus biventricular hearts. Families with older children (12--24 years) were more likely to have Internet access. Families of children undergoing placement of a right ventricle to pulmonary artery conduit were more likely to have Internet access. Of the 160 families with Internet access, 58% (93/160) used the Internet to obtain information related to their child's cardiac diagnosis. Eighty-two percent (76/93) characterized locating cardiology-related information as easy. Six parents created interactive personal Web sites specifically related to their child's congenital heart defect. Although families with older patients (12--24 years) were more likely to have access to the Internet, this did not translate into greater use of the Internet to obtain cardiology-related information. Among families who accessed the Internet for cardiology-related information, 95% (88/93) of families characterized the information as helpful or very helpful in furthering the understanding of their child's heart defect.
Families are utilizing the Internet to educate themselves about congenital heart disease. Most parents consider the process easy and the information obtained helpful to the understanding of their child's congenital heart defect and surgery. Internet use in this patient population is expected to increase. Our vigilance in providing accurate Internet references, as well as in identifying inaccurate Internet information available to our patients and their parents, is of paramount importance.
To determine the percentage of patients enrolled in a primary care practice who use the Internet for health information, to describe the types of information sought, to evaluate patients' perceptions of the quality of this information, and to determine if patients who use the Internet for health information discuss this with their doctors.
Self-administered mailed survey.
Patients from a primary care internal medicine private practice.
Randomly selected patients ( N=1,000) were mailed a confidential survey between December 1999 and March 2000. The response rate was 56.2%.
Of the 512 patients who returned the survey, 53.5% (274) stated that they used the Internet for medical information. Those using the Internet for medical information were more educated ( P <.001) and had higher incomes ( P <.001). Respondents used the Internet for information on a broad range of medical topics. Sixty percent felt that the information on the Internet was the "same as" or "better than" information from their doctors. Of those using the Internet for health information, 59% did not discuss this information with their doctor. Neither gender, education level, nor age less than 60 years was associated with patients sharing their Web searches with their physicians. However, patients who discussed this information with their doctors rated the quality of information higher than those who did not share this information with their providers.
Primary care providers should recognize that patients are using the World Wide Web as a source of medical and health information and should be prepared to offer suggestions for Web-based health resources and to assist patients in evaluating the quality of medical information available on the Internet.
The quality of consumer health information on the World Wide Web is an important issue for medicine, but to date no systematic and comprehensive synthesis of the methods and evidence has been performed.
To establish a methodological framework on how quality on the Web is evaluated in practice, to determine the heterogeneity of the results and conclusions, and to compare the methodological rigor of these studies, to determine to what extent the conclusions depend on the methodology used, and to suggest future directions for research.
We searched MEDLINE and PREMEDLINE (1966 through September 2001), Science Citation Index (1997 through September 2001), Social Sciences Citation Index (1997 through September 2001), Arts and Humanities Citation Index (1997 through September 2001), LISA (1969 through July 2001), CINAHL (1982 through July 2001), PsychINFO (1988 through September 2001), EMBASE (1988 through June 2001), and SIGLE (1980 through June 2001). We also conducted hand searches, general Internet searches, and a personal bibliographic database search.
We included published and unpublished empirical studies in any language in which investigators searched the Web systematically for specific health information, evaluated the quality of Web sites or pages, and reported quantitative results. We screened 7830 citations and retrieved 170 potentially eligible full articles. A total of 79 distinct studies met the inclusion criteria, evaluating 5941 health Web sites and 1329 Web pages, and reporting 408 evaluation results for 86 different quality criteria.
Two reviewers independently extracted study characteristics, medical domains, search strategies used, methods and criteria of quality assessment, results (percentage of sites or pages rated as inadequate pertaining to a quality criterion), and quality and rigor of study methods and reporting.
Most frequently used quality criteria used include accuracy, completeness, readability, design, disclosures, and references provided. Fifty-five studies (70%) concluded that quality is a problem on the Web, 17 (22%) remained neutral, and 7 studies (9%) came to a positive conclusion. Positive studies scored significantly lower in search (P =.02) and evaluation (P =.04) methods.
Due to differences in study methods and rigor, quality criteria, study population, and topic chosen, study results and conclusions on health-related Web sites vary widely. Operational definitions of quality criteria are needed.
Parents' input is critical to clinical management in pediatric ophthalmology. The importance of providing parents with appropriate information to enable them to participate effectively is recognized. However, little is known about the range of sources parents use to learn about their child's ophthalmic condition, which sources they find most useful, and how this relates to their understanding.
Cross-sectional survey of the parents or usual caregivers of children with diverse ophthalmic disorders, diagnosed at least 1 year earlier, who attended pediatric ophthalmology clinics at Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, during 1 week in August 2001.
Eighty-nine percent (n = 58) of parents with eligible children participated. Most parents received information from more than one source, with ophthalmologists (79%) and family practitioners (42%) being the two most frequently reported. Family support groups and voluntary organizations (29%) and the Internet (23%) were less commonly cited than anticipated. Parents reported receiving verbal information much more frequently than written information from professionals working with their children. Although 72% (n = 42) of parents could correctly name their child's diagnosis, only 46% (n = 27) were able to describe correctly the nature and impact of the disorder(s). Ophthalmologists were ranked as the most important source overall.
The findings emphasize the key role of ophthalmic professionals in improving parental education directly, as well their responsibilities and opportunities to do so through supporting and shaping information provision through other sources, especially colleagues in primary care and the Internet.
Many consumers use the Internet to find information about their medicines. It is widely acknowledged that health information on the Internet is of variable quality and therefore the search and appraisal skills of consumers are important for selecting and assessing this information. The way consumers choose and evaluate information on medicines on the Internet is important because it has been shown that written information on medicines can influence consumer attitudes to and use of medicines.
To explore consumer experiences in searching for and appraising Internet-based information on medicines.
Six focus groups (N = 46 participants) were conducted in metropolitan Sydney, Australia from March to May 2003 with consumers who had used the Internet for information on medicines. Verbatim transcripts of the group discussions were analyzed using a grounded theory approach.
All participants reported using a search engine to find information on medicines. Choice of search engine was determined by factors such as the workplace or educational environments, or suggestions by family or friends. Some participants found information solely by typing the medicine name (drug or brand name) into the search engine, while others searched using broader terms. Search skills ranged widely from more-advanced (using quotation marks and phrases) to less-than-optimal (such as typing in questions and full sentences). Many participants selected information from the first page of search results by looking for keywords and descriptions in the search results, and by looking for the source of the information as apparent in the URL. Opinions on credible sources of information on medicines varied with some participants regarding information by pharmaceutical companies as the "official" information on a medicine, and others preferring what they considered to be impartial sources such as governments, organizations, and educational institutions. It was clear that although most participants were skeptical of trusting information on the Internet, they had not paid conscious attention to how they selected information on medicines. Despite this, it was evident that participants viewed the Internet as an important source for information on medicines.
The results showed that there was a range of search and appraisal skills among participants, with many reporting a limited awareness of how they found and evaluated Internet-based information on medicines. Poor interpretation of written information on medicines has been shown to lead to anxiety and poor compliance to therapy. This issue is more important for Internet-based information since it is not subject to quality control and standardization as is written information on medicines. Therefore, there is a need for promoting consumer search and appraisal skills when using this information. Educating consumers in how to find and interpret Internet-based information on medicines may help them use their medicines in a safer and more-effective way.
Adolescents present many challenges in providing them effective preventive services and health care. Yet, they are typically the early adopters of new technology (eg, the Internet). This creates important opportunities for engaging youths via eHealth.
To describe how adolescents use technology for their health-information needs, identify the challenges they face, and highlight some emerging roles of health professionals regarding eHealth services for adolescents.
Using an inductive qualitative research design, 27 focus groups were conducted in Ontario, Canada. The 210 participants (55% female, 45% male; median age 16 years) were selected to reflect diversity in age, sex, geographic location, cultural identity, and risk. An 8-person team analyzed and coded the data according to major themes.
Study participants most-frequently sought or distributed information related to school (89%), interacting with friends (85%), social concerns (85%), specific medical conditions (67%), body image and nutrition (63%), violence and personal safety (59%), and sexual health (56%). Finding personally-relevant, high-quality information was a pivotal challenge that has ramifications on the depth and types of information that adolescents can find to answer their health questions. Privacy in accessing information technology was a second key challenge. Participants reported using technologies that clustered into 4 domains along a continuum from highly-interactive to fixed information sources: (1) personal communication: telephone, cell phone, and pager; (2) social communication: e-mail, instant messaging, chat, and bulletin boards; (3) interactive environments: Web sites, search engines, and computers; and (4) unidirectional sources: television, radio, and print. Three emerging roles for health professionals in eHealth include: (1) providing an interface for adolescents with technology and assisting them in finding pertinent information sources; (2) enhancing connection to youths by extending ways and times when practitioners are available; and (3) fostering critical appraisal skills among youths for evaluating the quality of health information.
This study helps illuminate adolescent health-information needs, their use of information technologies, and emerging roles for health professionals. The findings can inform the design and more-effective use of eHealth applications for adolescent populations.
Searching for health information is one of the most-common tasks performed by Internet users. Many users begin searching on popular search engines rather than on prominent health information sites. We know that many visitors to our (National Cancer Institute) Web site, cancer.gov, arrive via links in search engine result.
To learn more about the specific needs of our general-public users, we wanted to understand what lay users really wanted to know about cancer, how they phrased their questions, and how much detail they used.
The National Cancer Institute partnered with AskJeeves, Inc to develop a methodology to capture, sample, and analyze 3 months of cancer-related queries on the Ask.com Web site, a prominent United States consumer search engine, which receives over 35 million queries per week. Using a benchmark set of 500 terms and word roots supplied by the National Cancer Institute, AskJeeves identified a test sample of cancer queries for 1 week in August 2001. From these 500 terms only 37 appeared >or= 5 times/day over the trial test week in 17208 queries. Using these 37 terms, 204165 instances of cancer queries were found in the Ask.com query logs for the actual test period of June-August 2001. Of these, 7500 individual user questions were randomly selected for detailed analysis and assigned to appropriate categories. The exact language of sample queries is presented.
Considering multiples of the same questions, the sample of 7500 individual user queries represented 76077 queries (37% of the total 3-month pool). Overall 78.37% of sampled Cancer queries asked about 14 specific cancer types. Within each cancer type, queries were sorted into appropriate subcategories including at least the following: General Information, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Testing, Treatment, Statistics, Definition, and Cause/Risk/Link. The most-common specific cancer types mentioned in queries were Digestive/Gastrointestinal/Bowel (15.0%), Breast (11.7%), Skin (11.3%), and Genitourinary (10.5%). Additional subcategories of queries about specific cancer types varied, depending on user input. Queries that were not specific to a cancer type were also tracked and categorized.
Natural-language searching affords users the opportunity to fully express their information needs and can aid users naïve to the content and vocabulary. The specific queries analyzed for this study reflect news and research studies reported during the study dates and would surely change with different study dates. Analyzing queries from search engines represents one way of knowing what kinds of content to provide to users of a given Web site. Users ask questions using whole sentences and keywords, often misspelling words. Providing the option for natural-language searching does not obviate the need for good information architecture, usability engineering, and user testing in order to optimize user experience.
Adolescents' access to health information on the Internet is partly a function of their ability to search for and find answers to their health-related questions. Adolescents may have unique health and computer literacy needs. Although many surveys, interviews, and focus groups have been utilized to understand the information-seeking and information-retrieval behavior of adolescents looking for health information online, we were unable to locate observations of individual adolescents that have been conducted in this context.
This study was designed to understand how adolescents search for health information using the Internet and what implications this may have on access to health information.
A convenience sample of 12 students (age 12-17 years) from 1 middle school and 2 high schools in southeast Michigan were provided with 6 health-related questions and asked to look for answers using the Internet. Researchers recorded 68 specific searches using software that captured screen images as well as synchronized audio recordings. Recordings were reviewed later and specific search techniques and strategies were coded. A qualitative review of the verbal communication was also performed.
Out of 68 observed searches, 47 (69%) were successful in that the adolescent found a correct and useful answer to the health question. The majority of sites that students attempted to access were retrieved directly from search engine results (77%) or a search engine's recommended links (10%); only a small percentage were directly accessed (5%) or linked from another site (7%). The majority (83%) of followed links from search engine results came from the first 9 results. Incorrect spelling (30 of 132 search terms), number of pages visited within a site (ranging from 1-15), and overall search strategy (eg, using a search engine versus directly accessing a site), were each important determinants of success. Qualitative analysis revealed that participants used a trial-and-error approach to formulate search strings, scanned pages randomly instead of systematically, and did not consider the source of the content when searching for health information.
This study provides a useful snapshot of current adolescent searching patterns. The results have implications for constructing realistic simulations of adolescent search behavior, improving distribution and usefulness of Web sites with health information relevant to adolescents, and enhancing educators' knowledge of what specific pitfalls students are likely to encounter.